Buzz builds around UF commit Driskel

Thursday

Nov 25, 2010 at 12:01 AMNov 26, 2010 at 12:37 AM

Months before Jeff Driskel takes his first college practice rep, he's already viewed as a savior.

By Edward AschoffCorrespondent

Months before Jeff Driskel takes his first college practice rep, he's already viewed as a savior.Gators fans have swamped Internet message boards and Gainesville radio stations, clamoring for Driskel to be immediately anointed Florida's starting quarterback in January. Some have even joked that Driskel should usurp starter John Brantley before the 2010 season is over.The Driskel hype is Tebowesque and his performance last week didn't slow that avalanche.

In his final game with Oviedo Hagerty, Driskel threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 263 yards and two scores, and grabbed a 58-yard touchdown reception, in the Huskies' 56-35 loss at Lakeland. What was most impressive was his ability to turn three potential sacks from his blind side into positive runs. One went for a 91-yard touchdown.As the Lakeland PA announcer trumpeted Driskel's final stats over the stadium's loudspeakers, fans, both from Hagerty and Lakeland, erupted with cheers before the announcer enthusiastically exclaimed “Go Gator Nation!”Driskel is grateful for the respect given from opposing fans and, of course, Gators fans, but not as grateful for the team he leaves behind.“It doesn't mean as much as how we played,” Driskel said. “This year, I was devoted to our high school game. Right now, I'm sad to say that's the last game I'm going to put on a Husky uniform.“We knew coming in, no one was going to give us a shot. Those guys in the locker room are the only guys who knew we had a chance. We've played well the whole season. We've been through a lot this year. The program grew up a lot this year.”Driskel finished his senior year with more than 1,700 yards passing with 16 touchdowns and nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 20 scores.Hagerty coach Nate Gierke coached Driskel four of the five years Hagerty High has been around and has never seen someone like him.“We're not where we're at without Jeff,” Gierke said. “He's an unbelievable football player. He's the best high school player I've ever seen. What he's done for our team this year, it's just remarkable.”Watching Driskel will his way through and around Lakeland's defense was nothing new for Gierke.“The great ones are just born with that,” he said. “He's got that innate talent to make things happen. He's done that for four years for me. That was his 38th start. The experience is part of it, but, obviously, a lot of it is God-given.”While Driskel's hype will only swell, he doesn't expect it to ever overwhelm him. He's dealt with it since his junior year and has been signing Gator footballs since he committed in April.But he does hope the hype helps recruiting. Driskel is already constantly contacting uncommitted and committed Gators recruits, and he's strikingly social with recruits at Florida games.“The quarterback has to to be the the leader,” Driskel said. “Can't have a good program and can't make plays without playmakers around you, so I gotta get guys around me to make plays and get the ball to.”But Driskel isn't perfect.Listed as the nation's No. 1 quarterback, Driskel remains a four-star prospect, according to Rivals.com. Rivals recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said Driskel has solid mechanics and a tremendous arm strength, but there are questions about his natural football instincts. Knowing when to stop at the line and throw over the defense or having the ability to create a new pocket when pressured are elements Farrell would like to see with better talent around Driskel.“He's basically, in my opinion, a one-man show in high school,” Farrell “He's a guy that you need to stop that you can't stop.“If they have to start him from day one, he's going to be over his head. The level of competition from Hagerty High School to the SEC is astronomical.”Regardless, the calls for Driskel will come early.Driskel said he'll compete like he's the starter, but understands Brantley is the guy. Gierke thinks people should realize the enormous difficulty it takes to make the jump to college, especially for quarterbacks, and shouldn't throw too many lofty expectations his way.However, with everything Gierke has seen, it wouldn't surprise him if Driskel made some sort of immediate impact.“He's going into the toughest conference in the United States and for any true freshman at any position, much less quarterback, to be expected to go in there and expect to be the savior or something like that, that's a little too much to ask,” he said. “But if there's anybody who can go in and do it, it's Jeff.”

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